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L.A. County to Implement Tighter Restrictions to Fight COVID-19 Spread P8 COMPLIMENTARY COPY
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VOL. 6, NO. 46
TRUMP’S DENIAL AND DELAY IN CONCEDING COULD HURT NEW ADMINISTRATION’S PANDEMIC RESPONSE ‘More people may die’ without a smooth transition, Biden says Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com
F
rom the beginning of the pandemic crisis early this year, the now lame duck president has downplayed the perils associated with COVID-19 by saying it would simply “go away” with the warmer weather. Well, as we all know, nothing could be farther from the truth. It seems that President Donald Trump’s denial of the importance of so many critical issues, such as wearing masks, has deeply affected so many lives. Now with his refusal to accept the election results — which clearly show President-elect Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential race by a stunning 5 million votes, so far, and a clear electoral vote advantage — Trump may be compromising the incoming administration’s response to the virus.
Biden put the potential wallop of the Trump administration's refusal to work with his transition team in unambiguous terms on Monday, saying "more people may die" if they are unable to coordinate on management of the pandemic and distribution of a vaccine. During the press conference outlining his plan to revitalize the economy, Biden warned that the next few months are going to be difficult for the U.S., amid a surge of coronavirus cases across the country. “We're going into a very dark winter. Things are going to get much tougher before they get easier. That requires sparing no effort to fight COVID,” he told reporters in Wilmington, Del. Biden added: “I know we can do this.” Amid fizzling legal challenges contesting the election results, the Trump admin-
istration has not authorized funds needed to initiate the transition, shared briefings on intelligence, troop withdrawals or international affairs with Biden or coordinated with Biden's coronavirus team. There are no background checks being done or security clearances being conducted for potential replacements in the new administration, according to Politico. The delay in releasing the funds rests with Trumpappointee Emily Murphy, head of the General Services Administration (GSA), who has failed to acknowledge Biden as the winner of the election. “Trump administration officials also say they will not give Biden the classified presidential daily briefing on intelligence matters until the GSA makes the ascertainment official,” reports the Associated Press. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has served six presidents,
Freeway signs warn of the dangers of travel this Thanksgiving. | Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
said on Sunday that the Trump administration needs to help the incoming Biden and Harris team. Referring to the importance of a smooth transition by likening it to a relay race, he said, "You don't want to stop and then give it [the baton] to somebody. You want to just essentially keep going. And that is what transition is." The Biden team is trying to work around these roadblocks
— hiring staffers and advisers, contacting former federal employees and state and local officials, naming a COVID-19 task force, and receiving a national security briefing with diplomatic, intelligence, and defense experts. According to a tracking project hosted by Johns Hopkins University, there are now more than 11.3 million people who have tested positive for coronavirus in
the U.S. The death toll has reached at least 248,429. President Trump vehemently opposes any such notion of his conceding the obvious. “I concede nothing! We have a long way to go,” he said, referring to the baseless election fraud allegations his team continues to pursue. President-elect Biden works, meanwhile, without access to the briefings and resources GSA can offer.
California Pulls ‘Emergency Brake’ in Attempt to Curb COVID-19 Spread As COVID-19 cases sharply increase across the country and California, Governor Gavin Newsom and state public health pulled the “emergency brake” in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy on Monday to slow the spread of the virus. The changes went into effect Tuesday and now 94.1% of California's population is living in the most
restrictive reopening tier. Businesses in those counties will now have to adjust their operations to align with restrictions in the reopening tier. The state will reassess data continuously and move more counties back if necessary. California is also strengthening its face covering guidance to require individuals to wear a mask whenever outside their
home, with limited exceptions. “We are sounding the alarm,” said Newsom. “California is experiencing the fastest increase in cases we have seen yet — faster than what we experienced at the outset of the pandemic or even this summer. The spread of COVID-19, if left SEE EMERGENCY BRAKE PAGE 3
Current tier assignments as of Nov. 16, 2020. | Graphic courtesy of the State of California